YES! I have always had a fascination with monster movies, mainly because I love seeing what common creature can be turned into death dealing animals spawned from hell. We have seen sharks (the ultimate killers), bears, lions, ants, spiders and moths (Mothra bitches!), and we have even seen a killer bunny attacking nights of yore. Never have we seen overgrown mutant rabbits by the thousands up and just decimate entire towns of people with their fluffy tails and floppy ears. Oh yes, prepare to never look at rabbits the same way again.
The trouble begins when a researcher’s experiment to use hormone injections to control Arizona’s burgeoning rabbit population goes terribly awry, causing the cuddly rodents to grow to enormous proportions. In order to facilitate their growth, the rabbits need extra protein, and what better source than the relatively slow-moving human population that surrounds their huge subterranean lairs? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
If you have never seen this movie before, you are missing out on a treasure of science fiction horror. Like every movie that is made, it is done with the best intentions. An earnest attempt to create something unique and those involved do what they do best. In the case of Night of the Lepus, it’s just a glorious mess and something that is truly campy from the dialogue, acting and effects. But that’s what makes this movie so utterly amazing and memorable, also the villains are giant mutant flesh eating rabbits. You can’t beat that.
Night of the Lepus was adapted from a science fiction book called “The Year of the Angry Rabbit”. Why would someone write a book about murderous rabbits, I have no answer to give you. Considering the amount of books that are out there, I am sure that this isn’t uncommon. I bet there is even a book about deadly ferrets or other household pets. I digress, as usual, but Night of the Lepus is really a movie that just defies conventions. You have a cast of well known actors (if you follow their careers I guess) like Stuart Whitman (The Longest Day), Rory Calhoun (Motel Hell), mother fucking DeForest Kelley (Bones McCoy in Star Trek) and last but not least, Janet Leigh (Psycho, The Fog) who seems to be slumming it in this movie. Even with these established actors and actresses, this seems like such a day part type movie for them. I mean the line delivery is atrocious and I am sure that they were just scratching their heads as to why they are in a b-movie science fiction horror movie about killer rabbits. I know I would but hey, I am writing and not acting.
This is just a fun movie to watch. From scenes of rabbits just plowing through windows and gnawing at peoples necks to stock footage closeups of actual rabbits made to look menacing, it’s a blast. They try really hard to amp up the ambient noises and even gives rabbits growls because big mutant animals have to have growls. The music is just so over the top with the crescendos and bombastic brass sounds that it feels a lot more epic than it is. Rabbit attacks scenes are comical when they show cute little rabbits with fake blood on them trying to seem ferocious and it just all adds up to a beautifully destructive film about killer rabbits due to man’s intervention. I must admit, the attack and onslaught are surreal as you got rabbits on fire (not actual ones) and the stampede of adorable killers is just too much to handle. Check it out if you can…oh wait, you can just watch it on this page because the full movie is available on Youtube below.
